Johnny Doughty

Subject: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,Jim Bainbridge
Date: 07 Jan 14 - 07:49 AM

In Ireland, in my experience, there has never been much interest in traditional English singers, but I was asked recently if I had heard of Johnny. Now in the late 70s, while living in Kent, I had many a good session with him- or a 'flanagan' (?) in Johnny's language, with many a pint of 'treacle' (Guinness). For those who don't know him, he was a Sussex fisherman, living near Rye, a real character with a store of old songs.
There is a lot of material on the British Library (sound) website- www.sounds.bl.uk - if you click on 'World & Traditional' and then search Johnny Doughty, you'll come to 74 tracks of chat & songs, under the 'Bob Davenport' collection. There are many of Johnny's songs, interviews by Bob, and a lot of pub music & songs featuring Johnny, Bob, myself & others, mainly recorded at the Smarden 'Bell'pub in Kent in June 1979.
It's a fascinating website in other ways too if you're interested in dialects for instance, but Johnny was always worth listening to!

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: Vic Smith
Date: 07 Jan 14 - 09:35 AM

Transcription of a long radio interview with Johnny Doughty by Vic Smith .... with many photos.

I also have a long multimedia presentation based on this interview if anyone is interested in putting it on anywhere.

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: Vic Smith
Date: 07 Jan 14 - 09:56 AM

Actually, Jim's link to this fabulous stuff does not quite work, Try this -

* Click on http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Bob-Davenport-Archive
* Under View by click on J-L.
* From the drop-down menu that this provides, click on Kent.
* The only choice under Kent is The Bell, Smarden and hey presto! You are in an old-fashioned musical wonderland.

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: Vic Smith
Date: 07 Jan 14 - 09:59 AM

Whoops! The second instruction should read -

* Under View by click County and then on J-L.

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 07 Jan 14 - 12:18 PM

In the 1980s he used to appear at Sidmouth festival, I particularly remember him singing the "Wreck of the Northfleet".
I wonder if anyone made recordings there?

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: Vic Smith
Date: 07 Jan 14 - 01:37 PM

I have a recording of Johnny singing "Wreck of the Northfleet" that was recorded for my BBC Radio Sussex folk music programme. It is part of the long interview mentioned above.

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 07 Jan 14 - 05:30 PM

Topic released an album of Johnny's singing. It's now available as a digital release.
http://www.topicrecords.co.uk/johnny-doughty-round-rye-bay-for-more-tsdl324/
I remember Johnny from the old Loughborough Folk Festival.... a great character...
Derek

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 08 Jan 14 - 05:32 AM

Vic, not sure what Johnny would have made of all this technology- I do recall he was quite a revelation to the couthy clientele of the Smarden Bell & I have a memory of him later on that night with Bob Davenport sitting on his knee, singing 'Climb up on my knee, Sunny Boy'. I do recall also taking him up to the 'Empress of Russia' in London when a pint of treacle (Guinness!) went all over the floor in the middle of 'Round Rye Bay'. My wife Francie got a brush & was sweeping it away when he realised what was happening behind him. He grabbed the brush & incorporated into his song (and the next one too, I think!
Haven't congratulated you on your 'retirement' Vic- hope you got a gold watch or something- thanks for about 40 years of bookings!

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: Vic Smith
Date: 08 Jan 14 - 06:51 AM

thanks for about 40 years of bookings! 

I only booked you so many times because you are bloody good!

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,Gavin Atkin
Date: 08 Jan 14 - 12:39 PM

Johnny D was an old friend of my old (and much missed) chum John Gasson's family.

I was lucky enough to spend a couple of evenings with them all down at the Three Chimneys pub not too far from Cranbrook, where the Gassons lived. They were not what you'd call folkie events really, but Johnny sang his old fashioned songs and loved playing the old rogue.

Good memories!

You gonna be in our area again some time Jim?

Gav

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 14 - 10:52 AM

Wasn't Johnny from Brighton, but living near Rye- think it at Camber?

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: Vic Smith
Date: 09 Jan 14 - 11:14 AM

Yes to both GUEST's questions.

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 07 Feb 14 - 11:17 AM

Hi Gavin- no plans to be down except for a wedding in Rye late April- a session at Doris's is planned...
Should have said originally that Bob Davenport was involved with a BFI film with John Tchalenko in a short film which featured Johnny among other folk like the Boldon Banjos from Co Durham - can't recall the title but no doubt BFI would help? The sound recordings in the British Library were done as apart of that project.

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 07 Feb 14 - 11:27 AM

The film was called The Boldon Lad.

http://artsonfilm.wmin.ac.uk/films.php?a=view&recid=90

Unfortunately, it does not seem to have made it's way onto YouTube or DVD.

Derek

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 30 Mar 14 - 04:50 PM

gathering at the Red Lion is now scheduled for 25 April about 2pm- all welcome

Subject: RE: Johnny Doughty
From: GUEST,Gavin Atkin
Date: 31 Mar 14 - 04:01 AM

W@hat gathering is that please Jim? And which Red Lion - I'll have to urgently find out whether we're in the area... G